


To Be Young Again

by Ti_03



Category: Just Roll With It (Podcast), jrwi
Genre: Angst, Baby Br’aad Vengolor, Fluff, Hurt and comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:28:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25066192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ti_03/pseuds/Ti_03
Summary: Spoilers for Arc 2 episode 25What if Akar didn’t only look into Br’aad’s past and mind?
Comments: 3
Kudos: 56





	To Be Young Again

**Author's Note:**

> Spoiler warnings for arc 2 episode 25
> 
> Slight trigger warning for hitting a child
> 
> I’m tired

Akar raised his hand, a wicked and wide smile on his slender and bony face. “I’ll take you back to a time where you were powerless and weak.” In his hand, a ball of purple light formed. 

Br’aad, afraid of the bad memories that would come back and haunt him once again, dashed towards him. The blond pushed aside Taxi who tried to grab at him. He only got two steps in before he fell to his knees. _‘Fuck!_ ’ 

The bright white light flashed and covered the room and everything surrounding them. Taxi and Velrisa covered their eyes, preparing themselves to be blind again and ready to feel the pain. The white faded slowly and they blinked rapidly, watching the dark and white circles disappear eventually. 

“Is everyone okay?” Taxi asked, rubbing his eyes. “Vel?”

“I’m fine, Taxi.” She answered. 

“Br’aad?” There was no reply. The tabaxi looked around the church for the tall blond, worry building up. “Br’aad?” He called out again, a little more panicky than before. 

“T-Taxi?” Velrisa pointed to their feet with wide eyes. The two looked down and saw a small, blond half-elf swamped in a large green vest and baggy pants with the purple cape pooling around him. The familiar gold tattoos curled around his body. “That can’t be him, right?” 

Taxi began to stutter. “I-I don’t know if I-I should be hoping or not.” He crouched next to him and gently shook him. The child slowly opened his eyes, those familiar green eyes, and looked at him. 

He sat up and rubbed his eyes, yawning. “Where am I.?” He asked. His voice was high pitched and small. “Who are you?”

Taxi looked at Velrisa with dread and then back at the boy. “Um..what’s your name?” He asked. 

“I’m Br’aad.”

_‘Oh no.’_ The tabaxi gulped and nervously grinned. “Nice-nice to meet you, Br’aad.” He stuttered and pointed to the tiefling behind him. “This is Velrisa and I’m Taxi the tabaxi. Put ‘er there.” He held his paw out for him to shake. 

Br’aad smiled widely and shook his hand. “Hi Saxi!”

He couldn’t help but chuckle a little. “Do you know where you are right now?”

The half-elf looked around him curiously. “I hope I’m not in the orphanage.” He said. 

“So you don’t remember anything?” Velrisa asked. “Mountain, me, Taxi, Hilltree, Sylnan?”

His ears perked up at Sylnan’s name. “‘Nan? Is he here?” 

The two bit their tongues to hold back their giggles at the nickname. “He’s-he’s at the inn.” Taxi told him. 

Br’aad tilted his head. “Inn? But our home is the factory?”

“Okay, okay, okay,” He ran both of his paws down his face and took a deep breath in. “Br’aad, I hate to tell you this, but we’re not in the Wharf anymore, we’re in Viecta. I don’t know how old you are now, but I think you were twenty-one before..this.” The tabaxi gestured to him. 

The child looked at him confusedly. “But I’m..” he looked down at his fingers and started counting slowly. The blond held up seven fingers. “That many.” 

“You weren’t before, so we’ll have to find a way to reverse you back to your original age.” Velrisa said, kneeling in front of him beside Taxi. 

“I’ve always been..” he started counting on his fingers again and held up the same seven fingers to the cleric. Br’aad’s face of confusion then suddenly turned into one of panic. “Is Sylnan here, too? I didn’t leave him alone right?” His eyes were noticeably starting to fill up with tears. 

Taxi panicked and carefully held the child’s hands. “No, no, he’s here with us. We-we can walk to the inn where he is.” Br’aad sniffled and smiled, hugging the tabaxi and hanging on his neck. 

* * *

Sylnan ran the blade of his dagger carefully over his cloak for the tenth time. He held up the sharp blade and stared back at the tiny reflection. He looked tired, bags starting to show under his eyes. He groaned and laid down, dragging his right hand down his face and pinching the bridge of his nose. 

_Knock, knock, knock_ he heard from the door. He rolled his eyes and then closed them, hoping that whoever was at the door would leave him alone. 

_“‘Nan?”_ He sat up quickly, wide eyed. _“Hello?”_ The small, childlike voice knocked again. 

He shook his head, massaging his forehead with his fingers and muttering, “You’re just tired, it’s your mind playing tricks.” 

_“Br’aad, that’s enough. We don’t know if he’s in this room.”_ Velrisa’s voice was slightly muffled through the door. _“We’ll try other rooms, or maybe we can go to your room.”_

The half-elf nearly jumped out of bed as he got up and ran to the door, unlocking and opening it quickly. She and a blond child stood outside his door, backing up a bit so as to not get hit by it. He looked down at the child, recognizing the familiar long blond hair and green eyes. Tattoos marked his arms and the penis on his left cheek. 

“Am I dreaming?” He muttered, looking at the tiefling. 

Vel shook her head at him and kneeled down to his height. “This is your brother, Br’aad.” She gestured her hand towards him. 

Br’aad looked at the older brother and shook his head. “No, Sylnan isn’t old. Not _my_ big brother.” 

“Is this some illusion shit he’s doing?”

The blond pointed at him and said, “Bad word.” 

Velrisa shook her head and stood up. “Unfortunately no. He doesn’t remember anything apparently.”

“Oh goddess…” he put his hand on his face and rubbed his eyes with his fingers. “Fuck...what the hell happened to him?”

“Hey! Bad word-“

“Shut up.” He snapped at him, not-so gently slapping the top of his head and then turning his attention back to the cleric. “How did this happen? I swear if this is a prank-“

“This isn’t.” She glared at him and grabbed Br’aad’s hand. “And we can talk later.” She dragged the teary eyed child to another room down the hall. Sylnan scoffed and walked back into his room, slamming the door and locking it once more. 

* * *

Br’aad blinked his eyes quickly, he sniffled and his throat got tight as he sat on his bed. “Sylnan isn’t mean to me.” He mumbled, hugging his knees close to his chest. “He never hit me, ever.” 

Velrisa put the potentially dangerous items down for a moment and sighed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen your brother act this way before..maybe it’s best if we give him space.” 

Br’aad didn’t respond and used his shoulder to wipe away the tears that escaped his eyes. 

She looked around the room awkwardly and grabbed the items, quickly speed walking out of the room and leaving the door slightly ajar. She bumped into Taxi on her way to her room. 

“Did Br’aad get to see Sylnan yet?” He asked her. 

“Yes, but it wasn’t as heartwarming as you would expect.” She answered. 

“What’d he say? Did he freak out?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “He seemed angrier and he hit Br’aad.”

The tabaxi’s eyes widened. “He _hit_ Br’aad?” He repeated. She nodded her head in response. “Why? There’s no reason to justify hitting a _child_.” Taxi’s voice was getting louder, sounding a little angrier. 

She glanced at Br’aad’s room, seeing the door only slightly ajar. The cleric sighed and whispered, “It’s best not disturb him for now. We should keep the two separate until Sylnan..calms down.” She hesitated. 

“Fine, but until then Br’aad shouldn’t be around him. If he even _tries_ to hurt him again, I can’t guarantee or promise that anything won’t happen.” The two walked down to their own rooms, quietly closing their doors. 

Br’aad carefully opened his door, teary eyed and looking down the halls to “Sylnan’s” room.


End file.
